Stars to play ‘Match against Poverty’ Dec 14

Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium will next month host a UN-sponsored match against poverty with stars such as Brazilian striker Ronaldo and Real clubmate Zinedine Zidane unveiling the event on Friday.

The "match against poverty" will take place on December 14 and UN "goodwill ambassadors" Ronaldo and Zidane were on hand to publicise it.

"Don't worry, there will not just be Zizou and me," joked Ronaldo, though he added that players would not be flown over especially from Latin America.

"We would have to pay for the tickets and what we want to do is to raise as much money as possible for the fight against poverty," the Brazilian told reporters.

Zidane said former France stars such as Laurent Blanc and Didier Deschamps, both 1998 World Cup-winning teammates, would likely come out of retirement for the occasion. Last year's gala match in Basel, Switzerland, raised 1.5 million Swiss francs (1.3 million dollars).

"It would be great to organise this match every year," said Zidane, who like Ronaldo grew up in difficult financial circumstances.

"We have to unite against poverty as it concerns half the planet."

"When you have the chance to help others you do it. "Today I have the good fortune to be privileged and there's no better feeling than to be able to help," said Zidane. The Frenchman added he would miss this weekend's Spanish league match against Levante with a back injury.